Mumbai: Time Broadband Services Private Limited (TBSL), with its joint venture partner Stanton Technologies Sdn Bhd, announced the launch of the world’s first internet protocol television (IPTV) over 2.5G mobile platform to target the estimated $ 4 billion mobile IPTV market. The joint venture also announced signing of contracts with DiGi in Malaysia, and China Mobile and China Unicom in China.

Through an exclusive deal with the Chinese government owned entity, TBSL – Stanton joint venture will have access to provide IPTV to over 500 million mobile subscribers in China, the largest in the world.

TBSL recently got funded by Dubai Ventures, the equity investment arm of Dubai Investment Group, a company owned by the ruler of Dubai – His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Dubai Ventures played an active role in bringing Stanton and TBSL together to form the unique partnership that will enable the two companies to offer a complete IPTV solution, (technology and content) to global mobile telecom industry.

TBSL is one of India’s first companies to demonstrate live IPTV on fixed line telephony. TBSL is an integrated IPTV solution provider with access to content, skilled human resources and requisite digital technology for re-purposing content and for providing high-end IPTV solutions. Stanton Technologies has a unique compression technology to deliver mobile IPTV on the existing 2.5G platform and standard handsets. TBSL signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian music industry to be the license content provider for IPTV on various platforms and also empower the TBSL – Stanton joint venture.

Present on the occasion were TBSL chief executive officer and managing director Sujata Dev; Stanton Technologies, Malaysia chief executive officer Mervin Nevis; Dubai Ventures managing director Rajat Jhunjhunwala; Association Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) secretary general D S Rawat; Producers’ Guild secretary general Supran Sen; and IPTV India Forum president Shyamal Ghosh.

Speaking on the occasion, Dev said, "TBSL-Stanton joint venture is the stepping stone for global expansion of digitally re-purposed Indian and other content for multiplier effect of IPTV, where mobile IPTV is one of the platforms. With continued support from our investor, we are confident that this joint venture will become one of the top mobile IPTV service providers globally."

Nevis added, "After our joint venture with TBSL and Malaysia launch, we have been able to jointly explore the Chinese market with Potevio, which gives us access to 600 million subscribers of China Mobile and Unicom. We are excited to enter the Indian market through this joint venture. We appreciate the effort put in by Dubai Ventures to put this partnership together and have no doubts that together we will be able to bring about a revolution in IPTV experience of mobile consumers globally."

Millions of fans of famous Bollywood stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan will now have a dream service in their hands.

With this new high-end technology, subscribers can now view the latest entertainment news, drama series and special episodes from the top studios of Bollywood, while on the move. Mobile customers will have in their hands held 2.5G devices, the ultimate mobile entertainment experience through their handheld devices.

Speaking on the occasion, Jhunjhunwala said, "We are happy to work with TBSL and now we have committed adequate resources for this joint venture and look forward to working in mutual co-operation for other emerging telecom markets."

Regarding new ventures, Dev said, "TBSL-Stanton joint venture is entering into new ventures in Dubai, Qatar, Hong Kong, Kenya and Algeria as target markets, with the additional support by Dubai Ventures and making initiatives for global promotion of Content Licensing activity. We will be happy to announce the emergence of mobile value added services (M-VAS) in Indian telecom with the support of our strategic partners. Many new telecom licensees are already in dialogue with us for an early launch."